Cablegram UN1200 NEW YORK, 5 December 1947, 7.55 p.m.
SECRET
Security 534. INDONESIA.
Your UNY731. [1]
1. Minister [2] had satisfactory talk with Netherlands Representative today. Snouck, who had been informed by The Hague of Officer’s representations [3], said he personally considered there was no objection to Australia continuing on Committee and he had received no instruction to raise objections.
2. After consultation with United States Delegation we have reached conclusion that best approach is to raise matter when report of the Committee of Three [4] is before the Council at the next meeting.
3. The Minister [5] as Chairman would draw attention to the fact that substantive discussions are just beginning and that it is most unlikely that agreement will be reached before 31st December.
He would remind Council of manner in which Committee had been constituted and suggest that [to] avoid any possible question at later stage it might be desirable to have recorded the intention of the Council that the three Governments should continue to act.
4. We would hope that the Council would concur in this statement without objection and the United States Delegation will co-operate in securing agreement of all delegates in advance.
5. Palar indicated today that following our recent conversation he has decided not to press for further action by the Council though he may wish to draw attention to recent Dutch action resulting in death of prisoners [6], to Dutch consolidation in Madura and to the economic situation in Indonesian territory.
6. Your paragraph 2. Airmailed information should be adequate for present unless Council discussion takes unexpected turn.
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1 Document 452.
2 i.e. J. D. L. Hood.
3 See Document 447.
4 i.e. the Committee’s report on the choice of the USS Renville as the venue for substantive negotiations (see Document 450, note 6).
5 Hood.
6 The reference is to the death of forty-six Republican prisoners in Dutch custody while being moved by rail from Bondowoso to Sourabaya in overcrowded box cars without food or water.
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[AA:A1838/278, 403/2/2/2, iii]